Refrigeration apparatus



2 Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTOR OPLA/VD E. 'YQKS/MER. BY

ATTORNE FIG. 8.

o. H. YOXSIMER REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Flled Jan. 12, 1939 3949" o. H.YOXSIMER REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed Jan. 12. 1939 2 Sheds-Sheet 2 FIG4- INVENTOR, ORLAND H.YOX5IMER 'ATTORNE WITNESSES:

Patented Aug. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,213,155 REFRIGERATION APPARATUSOrland H. Yoxsimer, East Springfield, Mass, assignor to WestinghouseElectric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, 'Pa., a corporationof Pennsylvania Application January 12, 1939, Serial No. 250,580 11Claims. (01.220-9) My invention relates to refrigeration apparatus, andparticularly to an improved refrigerator cabinet construction.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved construction forone of the shells of a refrigerator cabinet of the type formed of Iinner and outer metal shells with heat insulaerator cabinet embodying myinvention;

' It is still another object of my invention to provide an improved sealfor the door of a refrigerator cabinet and particularly of arefrigerator cabinet of the type wherein the door is flush with the sidewalls of the refrigerator cabinet, or with the side and top wallsthereof.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an improvedrefrigerator cabinet construction and assembly of the type wherein thebreaker strips between the inner and outer shell of the cabinet arecoplanar with the front wall thereof and more particularly of the typewherein the .cabinet door extends to the side walls of the cabinet andoverlaps the coplanar breaker strips.

It is still a further object of my invention to provide an exceptionallyrigid cabinet shell construction which facilitates handling and is ofsufli'cient rigidity to support the cabinet door and to absorb thevshocks of slamming when the door is closed.

It is also an object of my invention to provide an outer shellconstruction for a refrigerator cabinet which is formed of asingle sheetof metal bent to provide top and-side walls and wherein.welding isdispensed with at the bends.

It is another object of my invention to provide a cabinet constructionin which the breaker strips are coplanar with the front wall of thecabinet and wherein the space between the inner surfaces of the door andthe breaker strips is minimized to prevent heatleakage-and is soarranged that contact between them is prevented.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparentfrom the following description and claims taken in accordance with theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which;

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a retrie- Fig. 2 is ,a sectionalview taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 1 with the cabinet-door closed;

provided with 29. The inner flange 291s cut away,

Fig. 315 .a similar sectional view taken on line III- 111 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view of the outer shell of the refrigerator cabinet bent toits final form;

. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view of the outer shell before it is bent;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken on line.

VII-VII of Fig. 1, showing the cabinet door hinge support; and,

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the construction of the outer shell at thecorners where the side and bottom pockets formed on the outer shell arejoined. I v

Referring specifically to the drawings for a detailed description of myinvention, numeral ll designates generally a refrigerator cabinet havingan outer shell I2 and an inner shell or food liner l3 defining a foodstorage compartment M. The food storage compartment It is thereof and adoor generally indicated at it closes the access opening. The outershell l2 of the cabinet is preferably formed of metal and the top andside walls I! and..l8, respectively, are formed from a single sheet ofmetal l9, shown in Fig. 6, which is bent to U-sha'pe, 'as shown in Fig.4. The sides of the U form the side walls l1 and the bottom of the Uforms the top wall l8 of the cabinet. A rear wall (not shown) isattached to the side and top walls in any suitable manner.

Before the sheet of metal i9 is bent to U-shape,

one edge 2| thereof, which later forms the front,

and top walls I! and IQ of the 'edge of the side cabinet, is formed intothe shape best shown in Figs. 4 to 6 and 8, in the following manner. Theedge 2| of the sheet 19 is first bent at right angles to the remainderof the sheet, as shown at 22. The sheet is then bentback on itself, asshown at 23, and isthen again bent at right angles, as shown at 24, andextends parallel to the side and top tance. The sheet is again bent atright angles; as shown .at 25, and extends parallel to the first bentportion, so that a generally U-shaped pocket 26 is formed in which oneside of the U forms and the other side of the U forms-an inner flangebefore or'after forming the pocket 26 to facilitate bending the sheetinto the inverted U shape shown in Fig. 4. The radii of the uppercorners walls for an appreciable disa front flange or wall member 21,the bottom of the U forms the bottom 28 of the pocket an access openingit in the front at 3|, either of the cabinet is such that, with thecut-aways 3|, the metal does not crack or require slitting and does notrequire welding after bending.

The first advantage which is effected by bend erator cabinet II, as bestshownin Figs. 3 and 8. i

The pocket '32 is formed by sheets of metal 33 and 34. The sheet 33 isbent at right angles} at 35, so that a flange 40 is formedto support abottom wall 36 spaced from the food liner and a flange 31 is formedwhich is welded, at 38, to the inner flange 23 of .the U-shaped pocket26. The sheet 34 provides a portion 33 of the outer shell l2 of thecabinet and extends upwardly to a point below the edge of the flange 31of the sheet 33, where it is then bent back upon itself, at 4|, extendsapproximately to the level of the bend 35 on sheet 33, as shown at 42,and is then bent at right angles, at 43, and forms a flange 44 extendingunder the bottom wall 36 to assist flange 40 in supporting the wall 36.The flanges 40 and 44 and wall 36 may be connected together by screws45. The sheet 34 is welded to the flange 29, at 46, a metal spacer 41being provided therebetween.

After the sheet I3 is bent to U-shape and the I pocket 32 and bottomwall 36 are completed, the

food liner 3 is inserted within the outer shell l2 and heat insulation41 is disposed between the side and top walls l1 and I6 and the foodliner andbetween the bottom wall 36 and the food liner. As shown in Fig..1, the food'liner |3 is-also supported on the flange 29 by gussets 48,one of which is disposed at each corner of the food liner l3. i

It is, therefore, to be noted that the pocket construction 26 supportsthe majority of the weight of the food liner I3 and heat;insulation 41.The support for the food liner l3 by means of gussets 48 is fullydisclosed and claimed in the copending application of Anthony A.Quimper, Serial No. 241,937, filed November 23,1938, for Refrigerationapparatus, and assigned to the assignee of the present application.

Breaker strips 5|, formed of four flat sheets of heat insulatingmaterial meeting at the corners of the food liner l3, are nowattached tothe cabinet The food liner l3 extends outwardly to a point slightly inback of the plane of the front of the cabinet H and is provided with aflange 52 parallel to the front of the cabinet and extending toward theflange 21 on the outer shell l2. Resilient devices 53 are disposed inthe pockets 26 and 32 and s-shaped metal strips 54 are disposedalong oneedge of the breaker strips 5|. The opposite edge of the breaker strip isforced into the pockets 26'and 32 and the resilient deveces 53 arecompressed until the'strips 54 may be snapped over the flange 52 of thefood liner l3. The devices 53 retain the breaker strips 5| in placesince they exert a force towards flange 52 and also toward flange 21 onthe outer shell l2. Cover pieces 55' are provided'at the corners of thefood liner [3 to cover the meeting edges of the breaker strips 5|.

The form of the pockets 26 and 32 therefore,

. provide for attaching the breaker strips 5| to the cabinet without theuse of nails or screws and also provide for disposition of the breakerstrip in a plane parallel to the front of the cabinet The constructionand method of assembling the breaker strips 5| are fully disclosed in mycopending application, Serial No. 244,765, filed December 9, 1938, forRefrigeration apparatus.

The door l6 for closing the food storage compartment I4 -is formed of anouter door pan 56,

4 preferably formed of metal and a flat inner sheet of relatively rigidheat insulating material 51 with heat insulation 58 therebetween. Theflat 'inner sheet 51 does not extend into the food compartment l4 butits marginal edges extend to the side and top walls l1 and la of thecabinet The bottom of the door extends closely adjacent to apanel 59which is disposed in front of the sheet of metal 34 whichpartially'forms the pocket 32 at the bottom of thefood liner l3. The

inner and outer shells of the door |6 are fastened together by screws 6|at the inner marginal edges thereof and acombined gasket and screw covergenerally indicatedat 62 is held in position by the screws 6|. A gasketportion 63 is so positioned that it strikes the outer surface of theflange 21 and the doubled sheet 34 of the outer shell l2. 7

The fiange21 and doubled sheet 34 are sufflcientiy rigid because oftheir doubled construction to absorb the shocks of slamming the door,and as a result the breaker strips 5| are not damaged or dislodged.Furthermore, the, surface of Refrigerator cabinet.

The door I6 is hung on hinger 64 and the hinges are attached to theflanges 21 and 29 of the U-shaped pocket 26 by means of a bolt 65. Aspacer Y66 and a backing plate 61 are provided to add rigidity to thehinge mounting but it is apparent that the outer shell construction l2and particularly the form of the pocket 26 supports the entire weight ofthe door I6. I

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a new anduseful cabinet construction which is simple and inexpensive but whichperforms the heretofore enumerated functions, which functions arenumerous and extremely desirable, particularly in a cabinet of the typewherein the metal walls of the cabinet are substantially self-supportingwithout the use of internal framework of metal, wood, or the like.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible ofopening, a breaker strip connecting said shells at the door opening,said outer shell having a pocket formed thereon peripherally of the dooropening for receiving one marginal edge of said breaker, strip, saidpocketat the top and sides of the door opening being formed by extendingthe metal of the outer shell toward the inner shell parallel to thefront wall of'the cabinet, said metal then being bent backwardly uponitself, then in a direction inwardly from the front wall for anappreciable distance and thenrparallel' to the front wall again,saidinner shell extending substantially to the plane of the front wallof the cabinet, so that the breaker strip extending between said shellsis also substantially parallel to the front wall of the cabinet, a doorfor closing the access opening and a gasket cooperating with saidcabinet and door for sealing the access opening and disposed between theexterior surface of said pocket and said door, said gasket and breakerstrip being spaced from each other at all'points when the door isclosed.

2. A refrigerator cabinet construction comprising inner and outer metalshells forming a food compartment and top, rear, side and front walls ofsaid cabinet, said front wall being pro -vide d with a door openingtherein, said shells being spaced apart peripherally of the dooropening, a breaker strip connecting said shells at the door opening,said outer shell having a pocket formed thereon peripherally of the dooropening for receiving one marginal edge of said breaker strip, saidpocket at the top and sides of the door opening being formed byextending the metal of the outer shell toward the inner shell parallelto the front wall of the cabinet, said metal then being bent backwardlyupon itself.

then in a direction inwardly from the front wall for an appreciabledistance and then parallel to the front wall again, said inner shellextendin substantially to the plane of the front wall of the cabinet, sothat the breaker stripextending between said shells is alsosubstantially parallel to the front wall of the cabinet, the exteriorfaces of said'pocketdefining a portion of the outer boundary of thefront wall of the cabinet, a door for closing the access opening, whichdoor is coextensive with those portions of the. outer boundary of saidfront wall which are defined by the exterior faces of said pocket and agasket en'gaging'with the exterior faces of said pocket and with theinner periphery of said door, said gasket and breaker strip being spacedfrom each other at all points when the door is closed for its.

sealing the access opening.

3. A refrigerator cabinet construction comprising inner and outer shellshaving a door opening formed therein, said shells having-edge portionsperipherally of the door opening, the metal of the edge portion of theouter shell being bent to forminwardly facing grooves substantiallythroughout the periphery of the door opening, said grooves at the topand sides of the door opening being formed with said edge portion of theouter shell having a portion bent at ,right angles to the outer shell,then back upon itself inwardly thereof and contacting said right' anglebent portion substantially throughout its surface to form a flange ofdouble thickness, said edge portion then having a portion bent inwardlyat'rig ht angles to the flange of double thickness and in contact withsaid outer shell,and said edge portion then having a portion bentupwardly at right angles to said last-named portion and terminating inspaced relation to said inner shell.

4.'A refrigerator cabinet construction comprising inner and-outer shellshaving a door openingformed therein, said outer shellbeing bent tosubstantially U-shape' to form the top and side walls of therefrigerator cabinet, said shells having edge portions peripherally ofthe door opening, the metal .of the edge portion of the outer shellbeing bent to form inwardly facing grooves substantially throughout theperlphery of the door opening-rand around the curves of said U-shape,said grooves at the top and sides of the door opening being formed withsaid edge portion of the outershell having a portion bent at rightangles to the'outer shell, then back upon itself inwardly thereof andcontacting said right angle bent portion substantially throughout itssurface to form a flange'of double thickness, said edge portion thenhaving forth inclaim 4 wherein the last-mentioned bent portion is cutback at the corners -of said u-shaped outer shell.

' 7. A refrigerator cabinet construction comprising inner and outershells having a door opening formed therein, said shells having edgeportions peripherally of the door opening, the metal of the edge portionof the outer shell being bent to form inwardly facing groovessubstantially throughout the periphery of the door' opening; saidgrooves at the top and sides of the door opening being formed with saidedge portion of the outer shell having a portion bent at right angles tothe outer'shell, then back upon itself inwardly thereof and contactingsaid right angle bent portion substantially throughout its surface toform a flange of double thickness,

said edge portionthen having a portion bent inwardly at right angles tothe flange of double thickness and in contact with said outer shell, andsaid edge portion then having a portion bent inwardly at'ri'ght anglesto said last-named portion and terminating in spaced relation to .saidinner shell, said inner shell having parallel flanges extendingsubstantially peripherally of its edge portion and in substantially thesame plane as said flange of double thickness, and a breaker stripextendinginto' said grooves and being'secured to tire flanges of saidinner shell.

8. Arefrigerator cabinet construction comprising innerand outer shellshaving a door opening formed therein, said shells having edge portionsperipherally of the -door opening, the metal of the edge portion of theouter shell being bent to form inwardly-facing grooves sub: stantiallythroughout the. periphery of the door opening, said grooves at the topand sides of the door openingbeing formedwith-said edge portion of theouter shell having a portion'bent at right angles to the outer shell,then back upon itself inwardly thereof and contacting: said right anglebent portion substantially throughout its surface to form a flange-ofdouble thickness,

said edge portion then having a portion bent inwardly at right angles tothe flange of double tthickness and in contact with said outer shell,

4- j 1 "aauawls and said edge portion then having a'portlon bentinwardly at right angles to said last-named portion and-terminating inspaced relation to said inner shell, said inner shell havng parallelflanges extending into said grooves and being'secured to .the flanges ofsaid inner shell, and a door for closing said loor opening, said doorbeing provided with a door gasket positioned to seat on i the exteriorsurface of the flange of double thickness.

9. A 'refrigerator cabinet ponstruction comprising inner and outershells having a door opening formed therein, said shellshavingedgeportions'peripherally'of the'door opening, the

metal of the edge portion of the outer shell being bent to forminwardly-facing grooves substantially throughout the periphery of thedoor opening, said grooves at the top-and sides of the door openingbeing formed with said edge portion of the outer shell having a portionbent at right angles to the outer shell, then back upon itselfinwardlythereof and contacting said right angle bent portionsubstantially throughout its surface to form a flangeof doublethickness, said edge portion then having a portion bent inwardly atright angles to the flange of double thickness and in contact withsaid-outer shell, and saidedge portion then having a portion bentinwardly at right angles to said last-named portion and terminating inspaced relation to saidinner shell, said inner shell. having parallelflanges extending substantially peripherally of its .edge

portion and in substantially the same plane as said flange of-doublethickness, a breaker strip extending into said grooves and being securedto the flanges of said inner shell, and a door for closing said .dooropening, said door being provided with a door gasket positioned to seaton the exterior surface of the flange of double thickness, said exteriorsurface of the flange of double thickness extendingoutwardly of thefront wall of the cabinet a greater distancethan said breaker strip orflange on said outer shell.

7 10. A refrigerator cabinet construction comprising inner and outershells having a door opening formed therein, said shells having edgeportions peripherally of the door opening-the metal of the edge portionof the outer shell be- .ing bent to form inwardly facing groovessubstantially throughout the periphery of the door opening, said groovesat the top and sides of the door opening being formed with said edgeportion'of the outer shell having a portion bent at right angles to theouter shell, then back upon itself inwardly thereof and contacting saidright angle bent portion substantially throughout its surface to form aflange of double thickness, said edge portion then having a portion bentinwardly at right anglesto the flange of double thickness and in contactwith said outer shell, and said edge portion then having a portion bentinwardly at right angles to said last-named portion and terminating inspaced' relation to said inner shell, said inner shell having parallelflanges extending substantially peripherally of its edge portion andsubstantially parallel to said flange of double thickness, and asubstantially flat-faced breaker strip extending parallel to the planeof the door opening and being secured in said grooves in the outer'shelland to said flanges on the, inner shell.

11. A refrigerator cabinet construction comprising inner and outershells having a door openingformed therein, said shells having edgeportions peripherally of the door opening, the metal of the edge portionof the outer shell being bent to form inwardly-facing groovessubstantially throughout the periphery of the door opening, said groovesat the top and sides of the door opening being formed with the edgeportion of the outer shell having a substantially flat portion bent atright anglesto the outer shell, then bent inwardly and reversely thereofparallel and closely adjacent to said right angle bent portion to formtherewith a substantiallysolid s olid flange, said edge portion thenhaving a portion bent inwardly at right angles to said flange andparallel and closel'y adjacent to said outer shell to form therewith asolid reinforced wall portion, and said edge portion; then having aportion bent inwardly at right angles to said last-named portion andterminating in 'spacedrelation to said inner shell.

ORLAND H. YOXSIMER.

